Mr Ben Archer
Higher Degree by Research Candidate
School of Allied Health and Human Performance
College of Health
My research into career development examines the complex interplay between educational access, religious belief systems, and workforce development, with a particular focus on rural, remote, and regional communities. This interdisciplinary work investigates how these crucial factors shape career pathways and influence organisational workforce planning in geographically diverse contexts.
Central to my research is understanding how educational opportunities—or their limitations—impact career development in non-urban settings. I explore how access to education intersects with local religious and cultural frameworks to influence career choices and professional development trajectories. This investigation extends to analysing how religious belief systems can shape both individual career aspirations and community-wide approaches to workforce development.
A key component of my research involves examining how businesses in rural and remote areas can effectively plan for their future workforce needs while considering these unique contextual factors. This includes studying how organisations can develop strategies that account for local educational infrastructure and cultural dynamics to create sustainable workforce solutions.
Through this research, I aim to contribute to both theoretical frameworks and practical applications that can help individuals navigate career development while assisting organisations in building robust workforce planning strategies that are sensitive to local contexts. This work has important implications for educational policy, regional development, and organisational management in diverse geographical settings.
| Date | Position | Institution name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Academic Support Officer | Kurri Kurri Community Services |
| 2023 - 2024 | Research Assistant | University of South Australia |
| 2022 - ongoing | Adjunct Research Fellow | Torrens University Australia |
| 2021 - ongoing | Tertiary Pathways and Preparations Coordinator | Taree Universities Campus |
| 2021 - 2025 | Adjunct Research Fellow | Avondale University |
| 2021 - 2025 | Associate Lecturer | James Cook University |
| 2017 - 2018 | Sessional Lecturer | Australian Catholic University |
| Date | Institution name | Country | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 - 2024 | University of Newcastle Australia | Australia | Graduate Certificate of Project Management |
| 2022 - 2023 | Central Queensland University | Australia | Graduate Certificate of Tertiary and Adult Education |
| 2019 - 2020 | Alphacrucis College | Australia | Master of Leadership |
| 2019 - 2020 | James Cook University | Australia | Master of Business Administration (Global) |
| 2016 - 2017 | University of Southern Queensland | Australia | Graduate Certificate of Education |
| 2012 - 2014 | University of Notre Dame Australia | Australia | Master of Religious Education |
| 2009 - 2009 | Australian Catholic University | Australia | Graduate Diploma of Education |
| 2004 - 2007 | Australian National University | Australia | Bachelor of Arts |
| Date | Title | Institution name | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fellow of the Higher Education Association | Advance HE | United Kingdom |
| 2022 | Registered Professional Career Development Practitioner | Career Industry Council of Australia | - |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Archer, B. (2026). The Silent Stakeholders: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Student Perspectives of School Choice & Satisfaction in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. Journal of School Choice, 20(1), 109-132. Scopus1 |
| 2025 | Archer, B. (2025). Bridging the Gap: Comparative Analysis of Academic Support and Teacher-Student Relationships in Faith-Based Schools Across Regional and Urban Contexts. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 35(1), 66-83. |
| 2025 | McEwen, C., Mueller, B., Trede, F., Archer, B., & Zappia, M. (2025). Advancing inclusive practices in higher education: possibilities and limitations of a social justice professional development course. Studies in Continuing Education, 47(2), 457-473. Scopus2 WoS1 |
| 2024 | Archer, B. (2024). Moving From Faith Development to Faith Engagement in Christian Schools: A Scoping Review. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, 17(1), 136-154. Scopus2 |
| 2024 | Archer, B., Russo, K., Woodend, J., & Pryce, J. (2024). The relationship between living in regional, remote and rural areas and post-school outcomes: A scoping review. Australian Journal of Career Development, 33(2), 178-187. Scopus4 WoS1 |
| - | Archer, B. (2024). Harvesting Intelligence. Journal of Resilient Economies (ISSN: 2653-1917), 4(2). |
| - | Archer, B. (2024). A Future in the Past. GILE Journal of Skills Development, 4(3), 34-49. |
| - | Archer, B. (2021). Impact of Postgraduate Qualifications on the Career Progression of Middle Leaders in Schools. Aksara: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan Nonformal, 7(3), 781. |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Archer, B. (Ed.) (2023). New Directions in Guidance and Counselling Research: 2022 Edition. James Cook University. |
| - | Archer, B. (2025). The STEM advantage : career planning and internship strategies for science, technology, engineering and mathematics postgraduate students. James Cook University. DOI |
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Archer, B. (2012). Benefits/issues in a blended learning course for a Year 10/11 Economics course. In Conference Proceedings on 2nd Annual International Conference on Education and e-Learning. Global Science Technology Forum. DOI |
| Date | Role | Editorial Board Name | Institution | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 - ongoing | Associate Editor | Australian and International Journal of Rural Education | Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia | Australia |
| 2023 - ongoing | Associate Editor | Journal of Social Entrepreneurship | Torrens University | Australia |